Sacrifice
by A.Seance.Down.Below
Summary: What if Bella really was committing suicide when she jumped off the cliff? What if she died? How far would Edward go to get her back? ExB soon, I promise! This is my first ff, so feel free to flame me! ON HOLD SORRY GUYS! WRITER'S BLOCK! GRR!
1. Chapter 1: Release

**Chapter 1**

**_Disclaimer for all future chapters: these are Stephenie Meyer's fabulous characters. As much as I would enjoy owning Edward, I don't. sigh_**

_**This takes place during new moon when Bella jumps off the cliff. But what happens when no one's there to save her?**_

BPV

I was sinking. I welcomed the depths, the blackness, the release from the pain. _Edward_, I thought, hoping to god he could hear me, _I love you._ I knew I was going to die. Then, swimming before my eyes, was the most vivid picture of Edward I have ever hallucinated. I could see every detail of his angelic face. His eyes were the lightest of gold. His skin was glistening like a thousand diamonds. He was gazing at me lovingly. I wanted so badly to reach out and stroke his cool marble cheek. _If this is dying_, I thought, _I should have done this sooner_. My lungs were starting to fill with water. I was losing consciousness. _My Edward. I'm Sorry._ Everything went black. And then I felt no more.

EPV

Dry sobs wracked my body. _No, no, no, no, no. _This couldn't have happened. This wasn't supposed to happen. It wasn't supposed to turn out like this._ Oh, my Bella. Why? Why would you do this? Why would you end your life? No. This isn't happening._ My heart was being torn to shreds. This was pain beyond pain. _No._ _She's not dead. No, no, no._ Not my lovely Bella. _Oh god, what did I do to you? No._

**7 hours later...**

EPV

_Why would Bella do this? How could she do this?_ I supposed I would find out soon. _Oh,_ _my Bella. No. _Surely since we both would have committed suicide, we would see each other in hell, if there is such a place. Bella was my heaven, so there is no hope of salvation now. My heaven is dead.

My only hope of release is suicide in the form of angering the Volturi. I hope it will be a quick death. Or whatever it is vampires do. Surely they will destroy me quickly once I step out into the sun. They can't risk humans seeing me sparkle. The Volturi will not tolerate any meddling with the foolproof system they have set up. Yes, they will most certainly destroy me quickly.

As the plane touched Volterran soil, only one comforting thought came to mind: _I will see Bella within the hour if all goes as planned._

APV

_Oh Edward. Why are you doing this to us? This isn't what Bella would have wanted._

JPV

_Edward, please don't do this. We all love you._

RPV

_Why are you doing this over a stupid human? We miss you. We're your family. Not_ **_her_**.

EmPV

_Dude, you should really think this through first. I know Bella was special. But you have an eternity to find someone else._

EsPV

_Edward, dear, please. We all loved Bella. We're hurting too. You're hurting me. Please come home._

CPV

_Son, listen. Bella was family to us as well. We can't stand losing two of our family within twenty-four hours. Please come home and we'll talk this through._

EPV

I wasn't even bothering to tune in to more of my family's thoughts. They reminded me of Bella too much. Everything reminded me of my beautiful Bella. I began running toward a big clock tower, careful to stay hidden in the shadows of cafes and boutiques. _Five minutes 'til noon. Five minutes 'til I see my love's face again._ _Oh, Angel, I'll be with you soon. Watch for me._

I finally reached an alleyway near the tower. The clock began tolling. I slipped out of my shirt and said one final prayer to an angel before I stepped into the sunlight: _Dearest Bella, forgive me._

Just as my foot slipped into the golden warmth, a hand grabbed me around the waist and another covered my mouth from behind.

**_Ooooooh, Cliffy!! Hehehehe… and no, it's not Bella. She's really dead in my story._**


	2. Chapter 2: An Assortment of Burgundy

_**Yay! Chapter 2!**_

_Review:_

_I finally reached an alleyway near the tower. The clock began tolling. I slipped out of my shirt and said one final prayer before I stepped into the sunlight: _Dearest Bella, forgive me.

_Just as my foot slipped into the golden warmth, a hand grabbed me around the waist and another covered my mouth from behind._

Chapter 2

EPV

I struggled, but I could tell I was no match for the stranger. I felt a sharp pain in the back of my head, then everything went black.

I woke up slowly and looked around. I was in what seemed to be a large stone room that was somehow sinister-looking.

"Ah! You're awake, I see! Finally! I didn't think that head wound my guard inflicted would take that long to heal! He has been dealt with accordingly, however," said an unfamiliar voice from behind my position on the cold, rough floor. I leaped to my feet and whipped around, causing a severe dizzy spell that almost sent me to the floor again.

"Who are you and what do you want from me!?" I tried to say forcefully, but it came out in a whiny voice instead.

"Now, now, we mustn't whine, my dearest Edward," said the stranger. He was very tall, around seven feet, and had a strangely transparent look to his skin. There was something eerie about his stance. It seemed as if he were floating. His eyes were blood red.

_He feeds off humans. Be careful, he lies,_ says Bella's voice in the back of my head. _Bella? Bella, are you there? Oh, god. I think I'm going insane._ I heard a large creak, which woke me from my confusion.

A large door to my left had swung open, revealing an odd assortment of vampires. Two appeared to be human children, a boy and girl, but their eyes were deep burgundy. They looked… evil, somehow. The other two looked nearly the same as the stranger: tall, graceful, and slightly transparent-looking. Then it hit me: _The Volturi are holding me captive._

…………………………………………………………

"So, since we have all agreed that killing you would be a terrible waste, I have an offer to make you," said the stranger who had identified himself as Aro earlier. The two other tall vampires were Marcus and Caius. The little girl was Jane, the boy was Alec.

"You see, Bella has extraordinary potential as a vampire," said Aro evasively.

"Bella is dead," I said, my voice laced with malice.

Aro only chuckled. "That's an easily repairable situation. You see, Alec can raise the dead. He will bring Bella back to life, on one condition."

"You can return Bella to me? Whole and alive?" I asked eagerly.

"Yes. On the condition that she will be changed immediately… and you will both work for me."

"And if I refuse?" I asked angrily.

"I will kill your family," stated Aro simply.

At this, I couldn't even see through the haze of red, boiling anger that had risen in front of my eyes. I began tugging violently against my captor, one of the Volterran guard.

Aro stepped forward. "My, my. You must learn to control your temper, Eddie. Which will it be?"


	3. Chapter 3: Of Heaven and Hell

Chapter 3

BPV

I slowly awakened to find that I wasn't wet or even cold. _Strange, I was in the water, right? _As I looked around, I realized I wasn't in Forks and possibly not even on earth. I seemed to be hovering in midair. I was completely surrounded by a glowing white haze.

Everything suddenly came flooding back. _Oh god oh god oh god. I'm dead. I killed myself. I drowned. Oh. My. God. Charlie. And Renee. And Phil. Jacob. The Cullens. Edward doesn't care. He doesn't love me. Oh, god. I killed myself and he doesn't care. What will Charlie do? He'll be heartbroken. And Jacob. Oh, lord. He'll think it's his fault. I never said goodbye to anyone. Jacob will probably think that because we fought, it was his fault I died. Mom, oh mom. I held her together all my life. I kept her sane. What will she do without me?_ I broke down and started sobbing. I let myself scream and cry and wail as I curled into a little ball

_I killed myself. _As I rocked back and forth in the air, my thoughts turned to Edward. _I love you. What are you doing without me? Moving on? Do you even care that I'm dead? Oh, Edward, I wish I could see you now._

As soon as I said those words, a hole opened up in the whitish haze and I saw Edward on a plane. _What is going on? I guess I'll just watch and see._ The ticket he was holding said VOLTERRA, ITALY in bold letters at the top. Why would he be going to Italy?

He was one of the first off the plane because he didn't seem to retrieve any bags. What was he doing in Italy alone without luggage? I watched him exit the airport and stride quickly toward what looked to be a type of town square. It was sunny, so he stayed in the shadows. He walked briskly toward a massive clock tower and hid in an alleyway nearby. As the clock was about to strike twelve, he slipped off his shirt and stuck a foot into the sunshine.

_What is he doing? He'll be seen!_ Just as he was about to emerge fully, two hands grabbed him from behind and something smashed over his skull. I was enraged. They hurt my Edward! He's not mine, though, is he? Not anymore, anyway. As I saw him being dragged away, I seemed to pass out. I woke up god knows how much later and thought to repeat what I had said earlier so I could watch Edward. Nothing happened. I tried again and again, and nothing happened.

I began to cry and pleaded, "Please, if you really are god, allow me to see my love again. I miss him more than anything and I want to see if he's alright. Please." The haze parted and I gazed upon my angel's face once again.


	4. Chapter 4: Darkness

_**Haha I'm addicted! Another update! That's 4 today!**_

Chapter 4

EPV

Aro had left me alone to decide, but I wasn't making much progress. There was an internal struggle going on in my mind. I could have Bella back. Forever. But she would be changed. And we would both be slaves to the Volturi. Or, my family would be destroyed. They were both almost too painful to think about. I only wanted to see Bella again. I began sobbing tearlessly, afraid and alone.

_Shhhh, please don't cry, my angel. I'm here._

"Bella?! Where are you!?"

_Shhhh, it's okay. I'm watching over you. It'll be alright._

"Bella! Are you still there? Bella?! BELLA!" I let the sobs consume me again as I grieved at the renewed loss of my love.

BPV

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_As I saw him being dragged away, I seemed to pass out. I woke up god knows how much later and thought to repeat what I had said earlier so I could watch Edward. Nothing happened. I tried again and again, and nothing happened. _

_I began to cry and pleaded, "Please, if you really are god, allow me to see my love again. I miss him more than anything and I want to see if he's alright. Please." The haze parted and I gazed upon my angel's face once again._

…………………………

He was lying on a cold, stone floor in a dungeon-like room. He seemed to be unconscious.

_Oh my lord, what have they done to you? _As soon ass that thought crossed my mind, he began to stir. _Thank you, god. Thank you._

As he was coming to, a figure approached from the shadows. He spoke to Edward, but I couldn't understand what he said. _Oh my, he has red eyes. Be careful, he lies,_ I whispered aloud to Edward. At this, he whipped around frantically, searching for something.

_Had he heard me? But that's impossible!_

He seemed to regain his composure when a door opened and the red-eyed vampire spoke again. I couldn't see who was behind the door, only that Edward seemed frightened of them. They talked for a while, and something made Edward furious. He tried to attack the red-eyed vampire, but someone held him back. The red-eyed vampire said something again and beckoned everyone to follow him out the door.

Edward was left in the room alone. He looked tortured, and soon began to sob, rocking back and forth.

I whispered, _Shhhhh, please don't cry, my angel. I'm here_. He looked around frantically again. He can hear me! _Shhhhh, it's okay. I'm watching over you. It'll be alright._

Suddenly, everything went black again. _No!_ I tried to fight the darkness, but I was overcome. _Edward…_

_**Cliffy again! Haha… Thanks for the reviews, reviewers! Keep reviewing! They encourage me!**_


	5. Chapter 5: Salvation

_**I don't want to be a murderer so I'll update now! Lol**_

Chapter 5

EPV

I wasn't sure whether I was going insane or not. Why did I keep hearing Bella's voice? I needed to see her. I needed to figure out a way to get them to kill me. Obviously, asking nicely wouldn't work. What could I do to see my angel again?

_Bring her back,_ said the selfish monster inside of me. _She wants to be with you. So what if you have to work for the Volturi? You will be there together and whole. Bella will be with you forever._

I let the monster speak. The words comforted me. _You will find a way to escape eventually. Then you can marry her and live happily. Forever._

The idea did sound rather appealing. Maybe choosing wouldn't be so hard after all.

_Bella is alone, in hell,_ said the voice. _She needs you._ I let the monster triumph. Surely that's the best option? Bring Bella back and work for the Volturi? _Yes._

My mind had been made up. I strode over to the door and opened it. The hallway was deserted. "Aro!" I yelled. "I've made up my mind!" Aro was there in an instant, barely containing his glee.

"What is your choice?" asked Aro eagerly as he rocked back and forth on his heels in anticipation.

"I want Bella back, vampire or not," I stated confidently. Aro practically squealed in delight and began clapping his hands.

"Oh, Marcus, Caius! We have two new employees!" Marcus and Caius looked like they could have cared less when they appeared at Aro's side and heard the news. They stood there with bored looks on their faces until I finally broke the silence. "When will Bella be here?" Marcus and Caius simply glided away.

Aro, looking back at his retreating companions, said uncomfortably, "Er… well, we… um… we…alreadybroughtherbackandshe'sbeingbittenrightnow."

"WHAT?! BELLA IS ALREADY BACK AND TRANSFORMING ALONE?! TAKE ME TO HER!" I thundered.

"I… erm… really can't… do that."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'YOU REALLY CAN'T DO THAT'? WHERE IS SHE?!"

"Oh, keep your fangs in. She's just down the hall in the room that says 'Transformations'. She'll be the only patient there." At this, I shoved Aro away forcefully and sprinted down the hall, scanning the door labels for 'Transformations'. I finally saw it at the end of the corridor. I threw open the door and saw my angel lying on a small white hospital bed, screaming in agony. Her body was convulsing with the waves of venom being pumped through her veins.

_What have I done to you?_ I ran to her bed and placed my cold hand on her sweaty forehead.

"It's okay, my love. I'm here. Forever." As I whispered those words over and over again into her ear, she seemed to calm down slightly. Her body still seized up every so often, but it was less frequent and her screams weren't as loud.

She managed to choke out, "Ed…ward… I… love… you." At this, sobs began wracking my body. How was I so selfish? What had I done to my angel? I laid my head against her tear-stained shirt. _The shirt she was buried in,_ my mind recalled. She gripped my hands tightly. I whispered, "I love you too. So much. For eternity."

_**Ok. Slightly fluffy, but I have to admit I'm a major fan of fluff. Sorry fluff haters, but there is going to be as much as possible in my story without distracting from the plot. :)**_


	6. Chapter 6: Suffering

_**Hello, my loyal readers! I hope you enjoy this chapter because I'm exhausted from writing it. I wrote this at one A.M. and I'm pooped. :)**_

Chapter 6

(review)

_I whispered, _Shhhhh, please don't cry, my angel. I'm here._ He looked around frantically again. He can hear me! _Shhhhh, it's okay. I'm watching over you. It'll be alright.

_Suddenly, everything went black again. _No!_ I tried to fight the darkness, but I was overcome. _Edward…

BPV

I woke up this time with something rather lumpy underneath me. I could no longer see the whitish glow through my closed eyelids. Something was different. Something was wrong. Very wrong. I opened my eyes and looked around. I was in what looked like a hospital room, but without any machinery or needles. _Ugh, needles._

I shivered. Where was I? Not five seconds later, a door to my right opened and a small boy walked in. I started to smile at him and ask where I was when I noticed something frightening: his eyes were red. He was a vampire. And he fed off humans. Fear overtook my curiosity.

He contorted his face into what he obviously thought to be a reassuring smile, but to me it looked like a leering grimace. "I'm here to change you, but I would like to explain first."

"Change me into what?" although I knew the answer the moment the words slid off my tongue.

"You already know the answer. Let me explain what is going on. Your dear Edward decided that an eternity of servitude to the Volturi from both of you would be preferable to letting his family be destroyed. He came here to commit suicide, and we offered him hope. We offered to bring you back from the dead, and he obviously accepted. It is now time to change you."

"Where's Edward? I want to see him! I…" I was silenced by the small vampire's fangs sinking into the tender flesh of my neck. In a flash, he jumped off me, ran out the door, and was gone. It was a few seconds before I felt the terribly familiar burning awaken in my neck. I was brought back by my memories to the ballet studio where Edward had sucked out the fire from my veins.

The fire was beginning to spread to my chest and up to my brain. There was no Edward to save me now. The pain was unbelievable. Every cell in my body was being stabbed by white-hot pokers. The pain worsened at each beat of my soon-to-be-dead heart. My body was being ripped apart at the seams. Somewhere, above the surface of the agony, I heard a door open. Someone ran over to me and placed their cool hand on my forehead.

_Edward_. I hadn't even realized that I had been screaming until they quieted perceptibly in volume. I concentrated every fiber of my being on speaking to Edward, even though he probably was nothing but a hallucination. "Ed… ward… I… love… you," was all I could choke out. I heard Dream Edward begin to cry. He laid his head on my stomach. As tears of pain streamed down my face, he said the words I had never thought I'd hear again.

"I love you too. So much. For eternity." I let myself be swallowed again, and I lost all sense of anything except the pain.


	7. Chapter 7: Heartbeat

**Chapter 7**

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_She managed to choke out, "Ed…ward… I… love… you." At this, sobs began wracking my body. How was I so selfish? What had I done to my angel? I laid my head against her tear-stained shirt. _The shirt she was buried in_, my mind recalled. She gripped my hands tightly. I whispered, "I love you too. So much. For eternity."_

EPV

As my head was lying on her stomach, I heard her heart speed up again. _Oh, no._ She started out whimpering, then the whimpers turned into loud shrieks. I lost all sense of time as I held her close to me.

_Hold on, Bella. Hold on_. I don't know whether I spent days or hours in that room, holding Bella's shaking body close to my dead heart. It tore me apart inside to see her like this. _I did this to her._ If I would have stayed, none of this would have happened_. I really am a monster_.

As her screams grew louder, I couldn't hold the grief inside any longer. I wept for Bella's death. I wept for the loss of her blush, her heartbeat, her soul. I wept for what she would become and how she would hate me for doing this to her. Most of all, I wept for the fact that I didn't deserve her. I didn't deserve her in the slightest.

BPV

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"_Ed… ward… I… love… you," was all I could choke out. I heard Dream Edward begin to cry. He laid his head on my stomach. As tears of pain streamed down my face, he said the words I had never thought I'd hear again. _

"_I love you too. So much. For eternity." I let myself be swallowed again, and I lost all sense of anything except the pain._

…………………..

The pain. Oh my god, the pain. Death was easier than this. I was falling into a sea of fire. My body was melting inside and out from the heat. I could hear my bones cracking and rearranging themselves. When the cracking reached my skull, I couldn't even think anymore. My face was being steamrolled over and over again. Daggers were ripping through my brain. Molten metal was being poured down my throat. My legs and arms were being scalded with boiling water. I wasn't sure whether the pain lasted for minutes, hours, or even days.

_The pain can only lessen from here. It surely can't get any worse._ Then, the memories came. _I was shaking Renee to wake her up. I was four. I was fishing with Charlie in the summer at age seven. I was being ridiculed at school for being ugly and poor in the sixth grade. I was shopping with Renee as a freshman. _Every memory I ever had flashed before my eyes.

Soon, the memories of Edward came. _I saw the cold fury in his eyes the first day we met. I saw his smiling face the first time he asked me to sit with him at lunch. I saw him running around our meadow when I first found out that he was a vampire. I saw him kiss me for the first time. I saw him chuckling as he made me blush in Charlie's kitchen. I saw his cold, stoic face as he told me he didn't love me anymore._

The pain of that memory hurt worse than the transformation. My flaming heart was being clawed out with a dull knife. The last memory came soon after. _I was transforming alone. He laid his head on my stomach and told me he loved me forever._ The pain began to lessen. I could feel my heart beginning to stop. That's when I forgot everything- except Edward.

**_Reviewers, your words mean a lot to me! I'm overjoyed at the fact that my story doesn't suck! lol_**


	8. Chapter 8: Tears and Remembrance

_**Sorry my chapters are semi-short… I'll try to write longer ones… maybe 3-4 pages on word? I'm writing 1 ½ right now. Thanks so much for the reviews! I love you all! But not in a lesbian way. Not that there's anything wrong with being lesbian, I'm just saying.**_

Chapter 8

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_As her screams grew louder, I couldn't hold the grief inside any longer. I wept for Bella's death. I wept for the loss of her blush, her heartbeat, her soul. I wept for what she would become and how she would hate me for doing this to her. Most of all, I wept for the fact that I didn't deserve her. I didn't deserve her in the slightest._

EPV

I could hear her screams gradually lowering in volume and frequency. Her heart beat only about five to ten times per minute. The transformation was almost over. I dreaded what would happen.

_Would she remember me? Would she remember her family? Our family? Would she remember her mother and stepfather in Jacksonville? Why did I do this to her?_ _What kind of monster could change an angel into a demon?_ I did, and I hated myself for it. Her voice woke me from my worried thoughts.

"Edward?" _She remembers. Praise god, she remembers._

She looked up at me with maroon eyes and said, "Edward. Are you crying?" It was then that I felt it. Salty-smelling droplets were running down my face. I didn't know how it happened. Maybe the combination of guilt, fear, love, and relief made it possible. I was crying. I gazed at my Bella. She was crying, too. I climbed up on the hospital bed and clutched her to my chest.

She turned her eyes toward my face and whispered, "Whatever happens, I will always love you. I don't care if you love me or not, I will love you for all eternity."

I sobbed harder. "I love you more than anything else. I left you, and I regret it more than anything I've ever done. I can't live without you now, and I will never be able to. Don't you ever forget that. Whatever happens, don't you forget that."

She sobbed, "You said you didn't love me."

"How could you ever think that? After all we've been through, I can't believe that you thought that was true for even a second. I wanted you to live a normal human life and forget me. I wasn't good enough for you. You deserved so much more than me. I was in pain every second I was away from you. I was going to give in and come back soon because I couldn't stand being away from you any longer. I would have gone insane."

She looked up at me, disbelieving. "You did that for _me_? _You_ thought _you_ weren't good enough for me? Edward, I love you and only you. I didn't want a human life if you weren't in it. Since I couldn't have you in my life, I found no reason for living. Promise me you will never, ever leave again."

"I promise. I will never willingly leave you. Ever." I tilted her face up towards me and kissed her with more passion than I ever could before. She twined her fingers in my hair and deepened the kiss. _What am I supposed to do now? _I wondered frantically. She answered my thoughts by parting her lips slightly, begging my tongue to enter. I, of course, obliged. We eventually broke apart, gasping for air.

"Wow," she said breathlessly.

"You're certainly correct about that," I replied, smiling widely. I was still breathing raggedly. She snuggled into my chest and closed her eyes. I held her close and closed my eyes as well.

I lay there for quite a while, just breathing in her scent. She still smelled like my Bella: Freesia and lavender, but without the bloodlust. _This is heaven,_ I thought to myself. I was shocked out of my trance by the sound of a door swinging open and crashing into the wall.

BPV

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_Soon, the memories of Edward came_. I saw the cold fury in his eyes the first day we met. I saw his smiling face the first time he asked me to sit with him at lunch. I saw him running around our meadow when I first found out that he was a vampire. I saw him kiss me for the first time. I saw him chuckling as he made me blush in Charlie's kitchen. I saw his cold, stoic face as he told me he didn't love me anymore. _The pain of that memory hurt worse than the transformation. My flaming heart was being clawed out with a dull knife. The last memory came soon after._ Iwas transforming alone. He laid his head on my stomach and told me he loved me forever. _The pain began to lessen. I could feel my heart beginning to stop. That's when I forgot everything except Edward._

………………………..

I woke up to see Edward's tear-stained face gazing across the room.

"Edward?" I asked softly. He began to shake as more tears streamed down his marble face. He looked beautiful.

_Wait. Vampires can't cry. _"Edward. Are you crying?" He looked shocked for a moment and then leapt onto my hospital bed. He held me to his chest, and I realized that he didn't feel cold or hard anymore: he felt pleasantly warm and slightly soft. _I love him._

"Whatever happens, I will always love you. I don't care if you love me or not, I will love you for all eternity." The words were out of my mouth before I had a chance to think. He looked into my eyes and said something I couldn't believe.

His body shook with sobs as he said, "I love you more than anything else. I left you, and I regret it more than anything I've ever done. I can't live without you now, and I will never be able to. Don't you ever forget that. Whatever happens, don't you forget that."

This can't be real. I cried, "You said you didn't love me."

He looked tortured as he said, "How could you ever think that? After all we've been through, I can't believe that you thought that was true for even a second. I wanted you to live a normal human life and forget me. I wasn't good enough for you. You deserved so much more than me. I was in pain every second I was away from you. I was going to give in and come back soon because I couldn't stand being away from you any longer. I would have gone insane."

I couldn't believe it. I wanted to believe him more than anything, but I just couldn't. This was the test. "You did that for _me_? _You_ thought _you_ weren't good enough for me? Edward, I love you and only you. I didn't want a human life if you weren't in it. Since I couldn't have you for eternity, I found no reason for living. Promise me you will never, ever leave again."

His answer sealed the burning hole in my heart forever: "I promise. I will never willingly leave you. Ever."

He grasped my face firmly in his hands and kissed me with more force than I ever could have imagined. He seemed to be stuck on that stage, so I parted my lips and hoped he would get the message. He did. We had broken all the old boundaries now. Our tongues danced for what seemed like an eternity. We finally broke apart, breathing heavily. I was speechless.

The only word that came to mind was, "Wow."

He grinned hugely while still gasping for air and replied, "You're certainly correct about that." We layed there for hours, just basking in each other's presence. I breathed in his heavenly scent and smiled into his chest. The moment ended when I heard the door crash open, smashing the wall next to it.

_**Whew! That was looooong! Longer then I'm used to writing, anyway. I almost reached my goal length! Tell me what you think! Sorry that it was mostly a filler chapter… as I said, I LOOOOVE a little fluff.**_

_**Maggie**_


	9. Chapter 9: Unwanted Reunions

_**Hidy ho, my readers! I am very happy at the number of reviews I am getting. Thank you! As you can probably tell, I am rather hyper. That is because I just drank a grande frappucino! I love Starbucks. Anyway, I am very curious as to where this story will end up. I'm writing it as I go along, so if you have any suggestions, I would be happy to hear them! Sorry about the lengthy author's note! On to chapter nine!**_

Chapter 9

EPV

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_She snuggled into my chest and closed her eyes. I held her close and closed my eyes as well._

_I lay there for quite a while, just breathing in her scent. She still smelled like my Bella: Freesia and lavender, but without the bloodlust. _This is heaven,_ I thought to myself. I was shocked out of my trance by the sound of a door swinging open and crashing into the wall._

…………………………

I shot up in bed and looked toward the doorway. _No. It can't be._ A tall female vampire was standing in the doorway. She had flaming red hair and was grinning wickedly at Bella. _Victoria._

"Well, well. Isn't this special! Having a tender moment, were we? I'm almost sorry to break this up. Almost."

"Who is that?" Bella whispered urgently into my ear.

"A very evil vampire named Victoria. She has tried to kill you once before. Do whatever it takes to defend yourself," I whispered back. Aro stepped up behind Victoria, and I sighed in relief.

"What is going on here? Do you three know each other from somewhere?" Aro grabbed my hand and I was plunged into a memory. _The ballet studio was covered in Bella's blood. Emmet and Jasper were out back finishing off James. Bella was venom-free and passed out on the floor. Carlisle's phone rang. It was Esme. "Carlisle, is everything alright? I lost Victoria. I'm so sorry!"_

As Carlisle started to explain, I was yanked back into the present. I found Aro's gift, at least.

"Well, it seems like you three have quite the history. Victoria, I'm sure that you can get over your differences enough to work alongside our two newest employees, correct?" said Aro pleasantly.

Victoria spluttered in indignation. Ignoring Aro's words, she leapt at the bed containing Bella and I, hissing ferociously. Jane appeared next to Aro and Victoria collapsed to the ground, writhing and screaming in pain.

"Enough, Jane," Aro said, stifling a yawn. "Have you changed your mind, Victoria? I certainly can't have fights between my employees."

_So, Victoria works here now._ Victoria stood up shakily and glared at Bella. I growled and Victoria stepped back toward Aro, seething.

I shuddered involuntarily when Jane smiled innocently at Bella. Bella seemed to be paralyzed with fear behind me. I moved her into my lap and she relaxed somewhat.

"What's happening, Edward? I feel connected to everyone somehow, but I don't remember how I know any of them," she whispered.

"I'll explain everything later," I said reassuringly.

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_He grinned hugely while still gasping for air and replied, "You're certainly correct about that." We layed there for hours, just basking in each other's presence. I breathed in his heavenly scent and smiled into his chest. The moment ended when I heard the door crash open, smashing the wall next to it._

……………………

A very tall vampire stood on the threshold. She had bright red hair and blood-colored eyes, and she was glaring at something.

_Oh my god. She's glaring at me. _I was rooted to my spot, a deer in headlights. When she spoke, I was shocked at the scorn in her voice.

"Well, well. Isn't this special! Having a tender moment, were we? I'm almost sorry to break this up. Almost." _I know her from somewhere._

"Who is that?" I whispered to Edward.

"A very evil vampire named Victoria. She has tried to kill you once before. Do whatever it takes to defend yourself," he whispered back hurriedly. _Wow. That was helpful. Not._ A tall male vampire stepped into the doorway behind Victoria. He had red eyes, too, but he didn't look as evil as Victoria. There was something strange about his skin, though. It looked… dead. Of course, it was dead, so was mine. His skin, however, looked… translucent. Papery. He spoke in a slightly high-pitched yet gravelly voice.

"What is going on here? Do you three know each other from somewhere?" _I suppose. I wish I could remember where, though._ The paper-skinned vampire glided to my bed and grabbed Edward's hand.

I could only watch in horror as Edward's eyes went blank and his body slumped down slightly. The vampire seemed to be focusing on something far in the distance. Soon after it happened, it was over. The vampire backed away and Edward sat up straighter. I let out my breath in a soft whooshing noise. I hadn't even realized I was holding it in.

The vampire spoke once he reached the doorway again. "Well, it seems like you three have quite the history. Victoria, I'm sure that you can get over your differences enough to work alongside our two newest employees, correct?"

Victoria spluttered for a few seconds and then pounced toward Edward and I. She fell to the floor screaming and shaking before she could reach us. I looked up toward the doorway and saw that a little girl had arrived. She looked innocent enough, except for the fact that her eyes were red.

The paper-skinned vampire said to the little girl, "Jane, that's enough." I didn't directly feel a connection to Jane, but she looked familiar somehow. The paper-skinned vampire spoke again.

"Have you changed your mind, Victoria? I certainly can't have fights between my employees." _We all work for him? Strange._ I looked up to see Victoria glaring at me. Edward growled and Victoria stepped back. I glanced toward Jane. She was smiling sweetly at me.

_Did she really do that to Victoria?_ I began to feel very afraid of Jane. Edward seemed to sense this, because he pulled me into his lap. I immediately felt better. I decided now would be a good time to ask what was actually going on.

"What's happening, Edward? I feel connected to everyone somehow, but I don't remember how I know any of them," I whispered.

"I'll explain everything later," he whispered back in a reassuring tone. _I can't wait to hear what's going on._

_**Woohoo, another long chapter! I still haven't reached my goal of a four-page chapter, but I'm trying! **_

_**Is it just me, or does Jane reeeeally freak you out, too?**_

_**Maggie**_


	10. Chapter 10: Explanations of Suicide

_**Hello! My computer privileges were taken away earlier today, but I managed to manipulate my way into getting it back so I could write more of Sacrifice! Hooray! Enjoy chapter ten, you wonderful reviewers!**_

EPV

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_I shuddered involuntarily when Jane smiled innocently at Bella. Bella seemed to be paralyzed with fear behind me. I moved her into my lap and she relaxed somewhat. _

"_What's happening, Edward? I feel connected to everyone somehow, but I don't remember how I know any of them," she whispered._

"_I'll explain everything later," I said reassuringly._

…………………….

The vampires in the doorway began to shift restlessly. Aro seemed to notice, because he promptly said, "Back to work, everyone! Let's leave Eddie and Bella to discuss everything."

Victoria shot us one last deadly glare before turning on her heel and stalking out the door. Jane curtsied and smiled sweetly. It didn't reach her eyes. Aro glanced at her curiously and yanked the door free of the now-crumbling wall. The door hung crookedly and wouldn't shut, so Aro just shrugged and glided away.

Jane focused her cold eyes on Bella and sneered, "I'll be watching." Bella shuddered in my arms. Jane giggled and drifted out into the hall after Aro.

As soon as Jane was out of earshot, Bella looked up at me and said, "Who are they?"

I sat on the bed for hours, telling Bella about her human life: Renee, Charlie, our family, the incident with James, and, finally, about how she committed suicide. Tears pooled in her eyes when I finished.

"I… killed myself? How am I here with you then? Are we in hell?" This was the part I had been dreading.

"No, darling. We aren't in hell. We're in Italy. Volterra, Italy. I came here to destroy myself after you took your own life. As we already established, I left for your sake. You… couldn't handle it. You jumped off a cliff. I couldn't exist without you. It was as if my soul had been ripped away, leaving an empty shell. I came here but they wouldn't destroy me. 'A waste' is how they phrased it. My talent was apparently too valuable to destroy. They gave me three choices. Two, really. One was unthinkable. I didn't even consider it. They offered to let me walk away and exist without you. That one was unthinkable. The next was to destroy me… but also my family. We're a huge threat to the Volturi. That's where we are now, in the Volturi's palace. The third was to have you brought back from the dead and transformed, but both of us would serve the Volturi forever. I chose the last, because I knew we would figure out a way to escape." She looked shocked.

"You came here to destroy yourself just because I was dead?!" I could have cried again if I had any tears left.

"Of course I did! You didn't really expect me to be able to exist without you, did you? I love you more than anything. You complete me. Without you, I am nothing." Tears began streaming down her face as she smiled up at me.

"You really mean that? I feel exactly the same way about you." _I love you, my angel_. I grasped her face between my hands and gave her a deep, long kiss. She buried her head in my shoulder as I left a trail of kisses down the side of her neck. _It's so good to hold her again. I missed her so much._

"Who is the vampire with the papery skin? And who was that creepy little girl?" she said, her voice muffled in my shoulder.

"His name is Aro, and he is the leader of the Volturi, the most powerful vampires in the world. They rule over the rest of us. He has two brothers that rule alongside him: Marcus and Caius. Aro's power is seeing every thought that has ever entered someone's mind, but he has to touch them. The little girl is named Jane, as you probably heard. You saw that her power is torture. She has a brother named Alec. He can raise the dead. He's the one that brought you back to life, and probably changed you. I'm not sure what everyone else's power is," I explained carefully. She looked thoughtful for a moment, then her eyes seemed to light up.

"I remember Alec! I was asking where you were after I woke up in this room, and he just jumped up and bit me! He ran away, and then you came in a few minutes later!" I smiled and hugged her.

_I can't believe she remembered!_ _I wonder what her power is…_

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"_What's happening, Edward? I feel connected to everyone somehow, but I don't remember how I know any of them," I whispered. _

"_I'll explain everything later," he whispered back in a reassuring tone._ I can't wait to hear what's going on.

………………….

The vampires in the doorway began to fidget and glance at the paper-skinned vampire every so often. Seeing this, he dismissed them with a "Back to work, everyone! Let's leave Eddie and Bella to discuss everything."

Victoria shot us an evil scowl and stalked out the door. Jane curtsied and smiled. To me it looked like a grimace. Aro looked at her, puzzled, and ripped the door out of the decrepit wall. He left it slightly ajar and shrugged before floating away. Jane looked straight at me and hissed, "I'll be watching." I shuddered and cringed into Edward's chest. Jane giggled innocently and drifted out the partly open door.

"Who are they?" I asked, still very confused. Edward began explaining everything to me.

I apparently had two parents who divorced when I was a baby. My mom's name was Renee and my dad's name was Charlie. I had a stepfather named Phil. I had been living in a tiny town called Forks for about two years. Edward's family, or 'our family' as he called it, consists of Carlisle and Esme, the parent figures, Alice, my best friend who can see the future, Jasper, who can control emotions, Emmett, my 'big brother' who is exceptionally strong, and Rosalie, who is exceptionally bitchy but beautiful. I found it hard to believe that bitchiness was her only talent, but Edward assured me that it was. I then learned about my run-in with James, Victoria, and Laurent. It scared me even more when I found out that James' Victoria was the same Victoria that had just been in my room. Finally, I learned that I had committed suicide when Edward left me. I started crying at the thought. _Are we in hell?_

I asked fearfully, "I… killed myself? How am I here with you then? Are we in hell?" He answered slowly.

"No, darling. We aren't in hell. We're in Italy. Volterra, Italy. I came here to destroy myself after you took your own life. As we already established, I left for your sake. You… couldn't handle it. You jumped off a cliff. I couldn't exist without you. It was as if my soul had been ripped away, leaving an empty shell. I came here but they wouldn't destroy me. 'A waste' is how they phrased it. My talent was apparently too valuable to destroy. They gave me three choices. Two, really. One was unthinkable. I didn't even consider it. They offered to let me walk away and exist without you. That one I immediately discarded. The next was to destroy me… but also my family. We're a huge threat to the Volturi. That's where we are now, in the Volturi's palace. The third was to have you brought back from the dead and transformed, but both of us would serve the Volturi forever. I chose the last, because I knew we would figure out a way to escape." I was stunned.

"You came here to destroy yourself just because I was dead?!" _That's unthinkable._ _This perfect being would destroy himself for a plain-looking, boring human?_ He looked hurt.

"Of course I did! You didn't really expect me to be able to exist without you, did you? I love you more than anything. You complete me. Without you, I am nothing." Tears began pouring out of my eyes. _This is too good to be true._ I decided to play along to see if he was telling me the truth, or just making me feel better.

"You really mean that? I feel exactly the same way about you." He smiled crookedly at me, grasped my face in his hands and kissed me. Hard. He began moving slowly down my jaw and neck with his lips. I buried my head in his muscular shoulder. I guess I have my answer. _Wait! Who was the paper-skinned vampire? And what was with the creepy little girl named Jane?_ I asked him, but my question was muffled by his shoulder. I was surprised he understood what I said.

"His name is Aro, and he is the leader of the Volturi, the most powerful vampires in the world. They rule over the rest of us. He has two brothers that rule alongside him: Marcus and Caius. Aro's power is seeing every thought that has ever entered someone's mind, but he has to touch them. The little girl is named Jane, as you probably heard. You saw that her power is torture. She has a brother named Alec. He can raise the dead. He's the one that brought you back to life, and probably changed you. I'm not sure what everyone else's power is." _Oh my god! I remember Alec!_

"I remember Alec! I was asking where you were after I woke up in this room, and he just jumped up and bit me! He ran away, and then you came in a few minutes later!" He smiled crookedly again. If my heart could have beaten, it would have been going crazy in my chest.

_**Yay! I'm getting very close to my goal length! Tonight is a school night, though, so I must stop writing for now. More tomorrow afternoon!**_

_**Maggie**_


	11. Chapter 11: Bloodlust and Confusion

**_Fan Fiction wouldn't let me update! Sorry it took so long, people… I just figured out a back way to update… lol. Anyway, this is chapter 11. _**

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Chapter 11

EPV

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_"I remember Alec! I was asking where you were after I woke up in this room, and he just jumped up and bit me! He ran away, and then you came in a few minutes later!" I smiled and hugged her. _

I can't believe she remembered! I wonder what her power is…

…………………………..

After I hugged her, she looked disgusted.

"What's wrong? Am I bothering you?" I asked quickly. _Maybe she's finally realized how terrible I really am. _

"Of course not! Edward, you never bother me. It's just that I haven't showered in almost five days, including the time I was dead! I must reek! And I wonder if I got any prettier…" She trailed off into thought, and I was confused.

"Bella, you don't reek. And you were beautiful before. How could you not think you were beautiful?"

"Well, thanks, but I still want a shower. And… I know you've told me hundreds of times that I was beautiful, I just never saw what you were talking about. And I really, really want a shower… right now!"

"Bella, I'm sorry, but there's not much I can do at the moment. We're in the Volterran castle. I doubt that we can just saunter out and ask where the shower is." She looked crestfallen.

"I want to go home," she whispered. "I'm beginning to remember it… it's somewhat small, with a little kitchen off to the right of the front door. My room is upstairs." She was crushed when I reminded her that we couldn't go back there, because everyone thought she was dead. I was glad she remembered, and I wished we could go back, too. But we couldn't. Not only was Bella supposed to be dead, the Volturi were literally holding us prisoner in this stupid room. Suddenly, the door creaked open and Aro popped his head in.

"Feeding time," he said cheerfully. I was appalled.

"You… you don't expect us to… feed off humans, do you?" He looked confused.

"Did I forget to tell you that part? Yes, of course we will be feeding off humans." Bella looked like she was about to vomit. I was unbelievably angry.

"Oh, you 'forgot' to tell me that Bella and I would have to feed off humans? I'm sorry, but I won't do that, and neither will Bella. We are feeding off animals." Aro pouted.

"Okay, fine. But don't get all pissy because there aren't any leftovers from our dinner." Bella was absolutely green now.

"No, we certainly won't be angry, because we _don't feed off humans_."

"Okay, suit yourself. There's a forest behind the castle. I'm sure there is _some_ type of animal living back there," he said, and stalked away. Bella sighed in relief.

"Let's go hunting," I said. She looked scared. "Don't worry, I'll teach you how," I chuckled. She smiled and stood up, wobbling slightly. She shook her head briefly and grabbed my hand. We walked out the door and into the hallway. We walked around, looking for an exit. I tensed when I smelt fresh blood. Venom pooled in my mouth and I swallowed it quickly. I looked down at Bella and she didn't seem to be affected. At all.

"You don't smell that?" I asked curiously.

"Smell what?" I was flabbergasted. _She's immune to the smell of human blood. _

BPV

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_"I remember Alec! I was asking where you were after I woke up in this room, and he just jumped up and bit me! He ran away, and then you came in a few minutes later!" He smiled crookedly again. If my heart could have beaten, it would have been going crazy in my chest. _

…………………………..

He hugged me briefly, but I suddenly realized something. _I haven't bathed in nearly five days._

I must have had a strange look on my face, because Edward looked hurt and asked, "What's wrong? Am I bothering you?"

I hurriedly replied, "Of course not! Edward, you never bother me. It's just that I haven't showered in almost five days, including the time I was dead! I must reek! And I wonder if I got any prettier…" I began thinking about how I would look. Maybe slightly curvier? With smaller lips? Edward interrupted my train of thought.

"Bella, you don't reek. And you were beautiful before. How could you not think you were beautiful?"

I answered truthfully, "Well, thanks, but I still want a shower. And… I know you've told me hundreds of times that I was beautiful, I just never saw what you were talking about. And I really, really want a shower… right now!" I felt disgusting.

"Bella, I'm sorry, but there's not much I can do at the moment. We're in the Volterran castle. I doubt that we can just saunter out and ask where the shower is," Edward said sadly._ I hate it here already._

"I want to go home," I whispered. A couple memories of a quaint little house hit me. "I'm beginning to remember it… it's somewhat small, with a little kitchen off to the right of the front door. My room is upstairs." I was devastated when Edward reminded me that we couldn't go back for at least a century. I was supposed to be dead. My thoughts were interrupted once again when Aro's head peeked through the door.

He chirped, "Feeding time!"

Edward asked slowly, "You… you don't expect us to… feed off humans, do you?" I was revolted at the thought. _I was human five days ago. I can't eat them! _

"Did I forget to tell you that part? Yes, of course we will be feeding off humans," Aro said confusedly.

"Oh, you 'forgot' to tell me that Bella and I would have to feed off humans? I'm sorry, but I won't do that, and neither will Bella. We are feeding off animals." _Thank god Edward's on my side. _Aro looked like a sulking child.

"Okay, fine. But don't get all pissy because there aren't any leftovers from our dinner." This almost made me vomit. _As if we would want leftovers… ew!_

"No, we certainly won't be angry, because we _don't feed off humans_," Edward said firmly. Aro sulked even more.

"Okay, suit yourself. There's a forest behind the castle. I'm sure there is _some_ type of animal living back there." He turned on his heel and strode out the door, obviously angry.

Edward glanced down at me and said eagerly, "Let's go hunting." The thought scared me. _What if I was no good? What if I couldn't catch an animal?_

"Don't worry, I'll teach you how," Edward said while laughing quietly to himself. I smiled and tried to stand, but I felt a little woozy. I shook my head and the feeling passed. I grabbed Edward's hand and we strolled out the door into the hallway. I noticed that all the walls seemed to be stone, even thought the room we were just in had plaster walls. I felt Edward seize up next to me. I whipped my head up toward his face. His eyes were black and his nostrils were flared. _He's hungry. _

"You don't smell that?" he asked, looking curious. I sniffed the air, but didn't catch a whiff of anything unusual.

"Smell what?" I asked, just as curious as him. His eyes widened and he just stood there, staring at me. _Is there something on my face? _

**_Well, well… what's up with Bella? I had written this chapter differently, but it wasn't very original and kind of pointless… so I rewrote it for you guys! Review, please! --makes pouty face-- _**

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**_Maggie _**


	12. Chapter 12: The Fox and the Bear

**_Hello! I'm going on a church retreat thingymabob this weekend, so I'll try and squeeze in another update before I leave. I'm just kinda busy because I have to write a fully illustrated children's book by Monday for school, and I'm still not done… yay procrastination! Anyway, sorry about my ramblings and on with Sacrifice! _**

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Chapter 12

EPV

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_"Let's go hunting," I said. She looked scared. "Don't worry, I'll teach you how," I chuckled. She smiled and stood up, wobbling slightly. She shook her head briefly and grabbed my hand. We walked out the door and into the hallway. We walked around, looking for an exit. I tensed when I smelt fresh blood. Venom pooled in my mouth and I swallowed it quickly. I looked down at Bella and she didn't seem to be affected. At all. _

_"You don't smell that?" I asked curiously. _

_"Smell what?" I was flabbergasted._ She's immune to the smell of human blood.

………………………………………..

I gazed at her disbelievingly. "The smell of human blood is overwhelming out here. The Volturi must be feeding on at least one hundred humans right now, if not more."

She shrugged but looked slightly revolted. "Umm… I don't smell anything. And _that_ is gross."

I smiled. "Let's get going… we should find out more later. But don't tell the Volturi about this. It could be a very desirable, extensive power to have… I have no clue what they'll do if you're more powerful than one of them."

Bella shuddered. "I don't want to know. Let's go hunting… I want to know what my favorite animal is!" She said excitedly.

I grabbed her now strong hand and we continued our search for a way outside. I saw daylight streaming onto the floor somewhere up ahead, so I figured we must have been getting close. My hunch was correct, and we were soon gazing upon a vast expanse of forest spread across a deep valley. Bella gasped beside me. I smiled at her and without further prompting she took off for the forest. Her clumsiness seemed to have disappeared, but she was still fairly slow. I teased her about it for a moment, but she only growled and tried to run faster. It didn't really work, but I was shocked.

"Did you just _growl _at me?" I chuckled.

"As a matter of fact, I did, Mr. Cullen. What are you going to do about it?" Just then, we reached the forest edge.

"This." I swept her into my arms and explained how to sneak up on animals and the most efficient, low-guilt methods of killing them. She nodded her head obediently and jumped out of my arms. She grinned hugely and began tiptoeing into the forest. I followed close behind. She quickly stopped, gazing at something I couldn't see. I peeked over her shoulder, and there was a huge bear, much bigger than the ones back in Washington. I crept ahead of her and leapt quickly out of the foliage, landing on the bear's back. Bella watched and gasped as I slammed its nose up into its brain. **_(I don't know if this works on animals, I learned it in a self-defense class… lol)_** The bear collapsed and I stuck my teeth rapidly into the bear's neck and drank. There was a lot of blood, so I was satisfied with hunting after my first kill. I turned toward Bella and she looked queasy. I rushed over.

"What's wrong? Is it the smell?" She shook her head.

"It'll just take some getting used to killing animals… you did really well, though." I nodded in thanks.

"You can start out on smaller animals: deer, squirrels, badgers… and anyway, I'm full now so I can help you hunt." She looked slightly relieved. I grabbed her hand.

As we walked silently through the forest, she whispered, "I couldn't smell that blood either… I was so preoccupied about killing animals, I didn't notice." I thought for a moment, and spoke carefully.

"Maybe your power is… resistance. You can resist whatever you don't want or dislike. You seem to still be immune to my powers, so maybe you are to everyone else's as well. Try and focus on letting me read your mind." She closed her eyes tightly and screwed up her face in concentration. Her thoughts came pouring into my mind in a maelstrom.

_Will this work? I hope it does, it'll be nice to let Edward in on what I'm thinking sometimes…_ I smiled triumphantly and looked down at her.

"It worked!" I said joyfully. She opened her eyes and beamed.

"I think we've got your power! Resistance!" I said happily.

"Now, I'm ready to hunt. At least I don't have to smell the blood!" She said, grabbing my hand and leading me deeper into the forest. We soon stumbled upon a fox eating a squirrel. Bella tensed and prepared to jump. She dove, almost dog-like, onto the fox and shoved its nose up into its skull before it could even howl out. She looked hesitantly at the dead fox, then back at me. I nodded my head and smiled in encouragement. She knelt down and gingerly sunk her teeth into the fox's fleshy neck. She drank for a moment, then stood up and wiped her mouth.

"I couldn't taste it, but it felt wonderful going down my throat," she said. I smiled.

"Full?" She nodded.

"Let's head back. I'm sure they're waiting for us." I didn't even need to specify who 'they' were. Bella nodded and slipped her hand into mine as we trudged away from the forest, toward the setting sun.

BPV

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_I grabbed Edward's hand and we strolled out the door into the hallway. I noticed that all the walls seemed to be stone, even thought the room we were just in had plaster walls. I felt Edward seize up next to me. I whipped my head up toward his face. His eyes were black and his nostrils were flared. He's hungry. _

_"You don't smell that?" he asked, looking curious. I sniffed the air, but didn't catch a whiff of anything unusual. _

_"Smell what?" I asked, just as curious as him. His eyes widened and he just stood there, staring at me._ Is there something on my face?

……………………..

Edward continued staring until he slowly opened his mouth to speak.

"The smell of human blood is overwhelming out here. The Volturi must be feeding on at least one hundred humans right now, if not more." _Ew. That's really weird, though. I don't smell a thing._

I answered confusedly, "Umm… I don't smell anything. And _that_ is gross."

Edward grinned and answered more comfortably, "Let's get going… we should find out more later. But don't tell the Volturi about this. It could be a very desirable, extensive power to have… I have no clue what they'll do if you're more powerful than one of them." An image of Victoria convulsing on the floor popped into my head, and I shivered involuntarily. I wanted to change the subject… and fast.

"I don't want to know. Let's go hunting… I want to know what my favorite animal is!" Edward obliged by grabbing my hand and continuing down the hallway. Edward led us toward a door that had a small window mounted in it. We opened the door, and the view was amazing. A huge valley stretched out below us, with a twinkling ocean visible in the distance. The valley was thickly covered in tall, ancient trees. I gasped and took off toward the forest. Edward began teasing me about how slow I was, and I let out a throaty, low-pitched growl. I sped forward as fast as I could and checked to see if I was beating Edward. His face held a look of pure shock. _Was I really running that much faster?_

My dreams were crushed when Edward asked, "Did you just _growl _at me?" and chuckled.

I answered promptly, "As a matter of fact, I did, Mr. Cullen. What are you going to do about it?"

As we reached the forest edge, he scooped me up and laughed, "This." We sat down on a fallen log and he explained how to hunt. I'm apparently supposed to sneak up quietly, then pounce. To kill the animal, I should shove its nose upward into its brain. It was apparently the most humane way to kill an animal, because they died instantly. I nodded and stood up off Edward's lap. I began creeping forward into the underbrush when I stumbled upon the biggest bear I had ever seen. Edward stepped in front of me and leapt, cat-like, onto the bear's back. He quickly used the nose-shoving technique, _which was quite disturbing to watch, I may add_, and the bear collapsed to the forest floor. He stuck his razor-sharp teeth into the bear's neck and drank eagerly. He stood up, brushed off his pants, and came rushing over.

I obviously had a disgusted look on my face, because he said, "What's wrong? Is it the smell?"

I shook my head and replied, "It'll just take some getting used to killing animals… you did really well, though."

He nodded and said comfortingly, "You can start out on smaller animals: deer, squirrels, badgers… and anyway, I'm full now so I can help you hunt." I breathed a mental sigh of relief and he took hold of my hand, pulling me farther into the forest. I thought about his question. _It certainly wasn't the blood, I didn't even smell the blood! _I told him this, and he thought for a moment before answering.

"Maybe your power is… resistance. You can resist whatever you don't want or dislike. You seem to still be immune to my powers, so maybe you are to everyone else's as well. Try and focus on letting me read your mind." I closed my eyes and concentrated as hard as I could on breaking down stone walls around my mind and letting Edward walk through. _Will this work? I hope it does, it'll be nice to let Edward in on what I'm thinking sometimes… _

I was interrupted by Edward's excited shriek of, "It worked!" I smiled hugely and he beamed down at me.

"I think we've got your power! Resistance!" he said excitedly. I was happy, but my stomach was empty and my dry throat was beginning to burn.

"Now, I'm ready to hunt. At least I don't have to smell the blood!" I said hurriedly, grabbing his hand. We walked carefully deeper into the forest. It wasn't long before we found a fox eating some kind of rodent… _perhaps a squirrel? _I felt my muscles tense and I sprang forward, landing on the fox's back. I closed my eyes and braced myself for a sickening crunch as I broke its nose. The fox fell to the ground, its eyes blank. I looked up at Edward. He nodded and smiled, so I kneeled down and gently sunk my teeth into the fox's neck. The blood was tasteless, but it felt like heaven going down my throat and pooling in my stomach. Satisfied, I stepped away from the fox and wiped my mouth.

I looked at Edward's expectant face and said, "I couldn't taste it, but it felt wonderful going down my throat."

He smiled crookedly, making me pause to catch my breath, and said, "Let's head back. I'm sure they're waiting for us." I knew who 'they' were, finally. We started back to the castle, our hands locked together.

**_Ok… so what did you think? This is my longest chapter yet… 4 ½ pages on word! I can't promise they'll all be this long, but it was fun writing this one even though it was fluffless… -tear-… anyway, I really appreciate your reviews, everybody! Thank you so much for the words of encouragement! _**

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**_Maggie _**


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